New UB Humanities series examines "Fluid Culture"

By Joyce Kryszak

Amherst, NY – The growing threat to our Great Lakes waters has spurred a year-long lecture series at UB featuring some of the world's leading experts on the politics of water.

Last week, state officials halted a proposal to build the nation's first fresh water wind farm in Lake Erie. The billion dollar project was reportedly called off, according to New York State Senator George Maziarz, at least in part because of environmental concerns.

And earlier this summer, Ohio lawmakers attempted to write a law that would have, if not vetoed, had permitted siphoning five million gallons of water out of Lake Erie.

Carrie Tirado Bramen is executive director of UB's Humanities Institute. She said the "Fluid Culture" series takes a deeper look at the these and other issues surrounding this vital natural resource.

"The Great Lakes contain twenty percent of the world's fresh water supply. So, we are very much at the core of this debate," said Tirado Bramen.

Other notable speakers in the series include cultural geographer Matthew Sparke, historian Ian Baucom, and human rights activist Maude Barlow. Tirado Bramen said Barlow, who is the founder of the Blue Planet Project, will be talking about the global water crisis and the coming battle for the right to water.

But Tirado Bramen said all the talks will put these global issues into perspective for Western New Yorkers.

"Looking at the politics of water and how Buffalo's location in the Great Lakes area really connects us globally and how that works politically, economically and environmentally," said Tirado Bramen.

The public is invited to the free lectures being held in the screening room at the Center for the Arts. The first lecture is this Thursday beginning at 4:00 P.M.